What does Tonic & Phasic mean? How Our Name Came to Life
Have you ever wondered “What does Tonic & Phasic mean?” — yea, we get it.
We get this question all the time, and honestly… we love it! Our name wasn’t chosen because it sounded clever. Tonic & Phasic was created with deep intention, personal meaning, and a story rooted in healing, movement, and connection. To really understand who we are today, there are two stories worth sharing:
The story of us, the humans behind Tonic & Phasic
The story of how our name came to be
So let’s start at the beginning.
The Story Behind Tonic & Phasic: How Two Pelvic Floor PTs Connected
We’re Dr. Allea Francis and Dr. Mallorie Hopkins, Pelvic Floor Physical Therapists and co-founders of Tonic & Phasic.
Our connection began with shared passions and shared experiences. We both loved movement. We both cared deeply about people. And we both understood chronic pelvic pain not just clinically, but personally. Fun fact: Our business relationship was born after a run around the Back Bay and brunch at Coffee Dose, yes, the Coffee Dose inside Irvine Ranch Market… the same place we eventually opened our clinic. Full-circle moments like that don’t happen by accident.
But our bond deepened because we had both lived through the confusing, exhausting world of pelvic pain.
Dr. Allea was diagnosed with interstitial cystitis at a young age.
Dr. Mallorie has navigated painful periods and IBS since a young age.
We knew the ER visits.
The hospital trips.
The “everything looks normal” responses.
The frustration of knowing something was wrong while trying to get someone to listen.
And that’s when it clicked: If we didn’t receive answers, we would become the people who help others find them. Tonic & Phasic was born from that mission.
Why the Name?
The words tonic and phasic are opposites in biology, and we fell in love with the meaning behind that. They represent balance, duality, wholeness — the yin and yang of biology. Let’s break it down:
TONIC
In biology, “tonic” means steady, supportive, and constant.
Tonic muscles hold postures and maintain stability, think isometric strength, like holding a pose without shaking.
Tonic herbs provide consistent, grounding nourishment that helps keep your body balanced over time.
PHASIC
In contrast, “phasic” means quick, adaptive, and responsive.
Phasic muscles activate in short bursts — sprinting, sudden movements, powerful actions.
Phasic herbs work in waves, releasing their benefits more dynamically.
Together, tonic and phasic teach us an important truth: We need both. Strength and softness. Fast and slow. Stillness and movement. Stability and adaptability. Balance is what heals. And that is exactly what we want for every patient who walks through our doors.
A New Way Forward in Pelvic Health
At Tonic & Phasic, our mission is simple but powerful: To help people with pelvic pain find answers, find solutions, and find their way back to themselves. We blend modern pelvic floor physical therapy with holistic wisdom, guiding your mind, body, and soul toward healing, not through quick fixes, but through true understanding.
We’re here to change the way pelvic health is treated.
We’re here so you no longer have to feel alone.
We’re here so you don’t have to suffer in silence the way our young selves once did.
The Heart of Our Work: Who We’re Here For
As we share who we are and why Tonic & Phasic was created, it’s also important to share who we’re here for. Every day, we support people navigating unexplained, chronic, or long-standing pelvic pain — the kinds of symptoms that can feel isolating, confusing, or dismissed. We work with all genders and all seasons of life, from first periods to postpartum to menopause, offering a space where your pain is taken seriously and your healing is supported with intention. Whether your symptoms are rooted in the bladder, bowel, reproductive system, hormones, nerves, or pelvic floor muscles, our care is designed to help you reconnect with your body and find real answers.
Some of the most common conditions we treat include:
Endometriosis
Painful or irregular periods (dysmenorrhea)
Vulvodynia, vestibulodynia & vaginismus
Pain with intercourse or orgasms
Penile pain, testicular pain & erectile dysfunction
Interstitial cystitis
Pudendal neuralgia, sciatica & tailbone pain
Fibroid/cyst-related pain
Pelvic organ prolapse
Constipation, GI distress, painful bowel movements & fecal incontinence
Urinary urgency, frequency, retention, burning & leaking
Pregnancy and postpartum symptoms (prolapse, diastasis recti, round ligament pain, pubic symphysis pain, C-section or perineal scar pain)
Fertility support, pregnancy loss support & menopause/perimenopause care
Abdominal, hip, low back, SIJ & general musculoskeletal pain
how can we help your healing journey?
We’d love to meet you and explore how we can help.
Book a free 15-minute Discovery Call to get started.
